Photo: Anime Milwaukee
Anime Milwaukee costumed guests
Anime Milwaukee
There’s been many attempts to introduce a big comic/pop culture convention to Milwaukee in the years since Gen Con left the city for Indianapolis in 2003. But the one event with the steadiest continued success has been Anime Milwaukee. The convention began in 2007 in the UWM Union, and moved to the Wisconsin Center in 2011, where they’ve grown to draw approximately 10,000 attendees annually.
As the name implies, there’s a strong focus on all things related to anime and manga, but you’ll find cosplayers dressed as characters from all corners of the worlds of comic books, animation, gaming, sci fi, fantasy, horror and beyond. Special guests include industry writers, voice actors, and cosplayers. Among the 15 or so guests of honor are Johnny Yong Bosch (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Colleen O’Shaughnessey (voice actor for shows like Sonic Boom and Digimon), and Griffin Burns (voice actor for Genshin Impact and Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure).
In addition to speaker panels and vendors, there’s fanart and fanfiction contests, K-pop, a children’s programming room, and a manga library reading room.
“My personal favorite event that we put on, Cosplay Combat Chess, isn't necessarily new but it is quite unique as each year there are different participants all dressing up as their favorite characters battling it out on the human chess board,” says Marita Peterson, Anime Milwaukee’s press department manager. “There is a lot of improv involved and it's really fun seeing all the work people put into their costumes and characterization.
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“Along the same lines as the Cosplay Combat Chess,” Peterson continues, “is the Masquerade which is another staple that also involves costumes and acting, though the skits are determined by the participants themselves.” Participants in the Masquerade are judged in a variety of categories based on age and factors like craftmanship and performance.
COVID policies in place include a requirement to show a vaccination card or proof of a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours in a clinical setting. Attendees over 2 years old must also wear a mask unless in designated eating or drinking areas.
Anime Milwaukee runs Feb. 11-13 at the Wisconsin Center. More info and tickets can be found at: animemilwaukee.org.
